Chapter Three
T he past week has been hell. I am not giving up, though. No matter how much Gunner wishes I would.
The other guys are all nice. After Smoke came in later in the day on my first day and talked with me, he told me I am allowed to talk to the guys, but he warned them off because they can get a bit flirty. He even told Gunner to lay off the big brother act when one of them came over to talk to me while Smoke was present.
Ever since, they have said hello but kept their distance. I don’t mind, though. I prefer that than the constant pressure to sleep with them.
Gunner is the problem, though. He hasn’t let up once since I started working here. Every single day he finds something to criticize me on. First, it was where I put the oil after I drained it. Rather than nicely telling me where they keep it, he chewed my ass for leaving it next to the car. Then it was not using what he deemed the right tool to do the job. When I pointed out that my wrench worked just as well as the pliers he wanted me to use to grab the small bolt, he huffed and walked off.
I feel like he has been testing me all this time. It’s driving me insane. Either I get the asshole who can’t stop telling me how I do everything wrong or I get the grump who won’t say anything but still glares my way.
There’s no inbetween.
I know he can be a normal human being. I’ve heard him laugh once with the guys when he thought I was already gone. Which tells me that it’s me that he has a problem with.
It’s annoying as hell.
Like right now. He is standing next to his bench, those damn overalls at his waist while he gulps water from a bottle. You think he is just hydrating, right? Nope, he’s glaring at me. How do I know? I am keeping an eye on him from my peripheral.
If the pay wasn’t so good, I would have quit by now, but I need the money. Mom thinks I didn’t see the shut-off notice for the electricity, but I did.
So I pretend like everything is okay.
I can handle one male ego, can’t I?
I’m focused on the car I’m working on when I hear someone call for him.
“Fuck.” I hear him curse, drawing my eyes up to him.
He really shouldn’t look that good. He has this whole badass biker thing going on. If he wasn’t such an ass, I might even be interested. The tattoos add a layer to him that would make most women drool. I’m sure he has no shortage of pussy.
If only his personality matched.
Shaking my head, I watch as he walks over to three men who pulled up into the parking lot.
I frown as I notice that Gunner is tense. Even when he is glaring at me, he isn’t usually tense. Well, except that first day when I touched him by accident. He did not like that.
My stomach churns as I realize the men he is talking to are also wearing cuts. Thankfully, when I asked Fox about them, he told me what they were. He teased me a little but told me what they were called, then told me not to ask any more questions.
I left it at that.
Gunner nods to the men before heading back over to me. I dart my gaze down as if I wasn’t watching his every move just now.
“Pack it up. Time to go.”
I straighten up and fold my arms across my chest. “I have three more oil changes to finish. Mrs. Grant is coming back to pick this one up in twenty minutes.”
“Don’t care. You got to go. One of the prospects can finish it,” he tells me.
“Seriously? I’ve been doing a great job…”
He grabs my arm, pulling me back to the lockers.
“I don’t have time for bratty Sloane right now. I need you to get your shit and get gone. You can come back tomorrow,” he snarls at me.
“Seriously? You are such a fucking dick.” I rip my arm from his grasp, turning to my locker.
I gather my things and head out to my car. He follows me, watching as I get inside. When the three men from before walk up to him, he gestures to them to come inside. They disappear as I try to start my car. I groan when it doesn’t turn over right away.
That’s when I see Smoke and a few men I haven’t met come from the gated area behind the shop, disappearing toward where I know the back door is.
They are up to no good. I know it, yet I’m stuck.
Huffing out a breath, I get back out of the car and head back inside. I just need to figure out what is wrong with my car, then I will go.
No one is inside the garage, making me suspicious. I hear voices coming from one of the rooms down the hall.
“We can do that for you, but what will you do for us?” I hear Smoke ask.
I peek around the corner to peer into the area where we keep our overstocked items.
Gunner’s eyes land on me immediately. He frowns as he glances around discreetly.
“Two hundred thousand dollars,” one of the unfamiliar men tells him.
My eyes widen at that. I really fucked up. I shouldn’t be here.
Gunner meets my eyes and mouths, “Go.”
I take off like a bat out of hell. I don’t have to be told twice. I don’t want to know what shit they are getting into. It’s none of my business.
Sliding into my driver’s seat, I send up a quick prayer and turn the keys.
I let out a relieved breath when it starts. I peel out of the parking lot and don’t look back.
I hope whatever I heard doesn’t get me into trouble, or worse, killed.
My heart is pounding in my chest.
I want to punch something. Or someone.
I glanced at the men around me, wondering if they saw what I just did. When it’s clear they didn’t, I look back toward trouble with a capital T.
What the fuck is that little brat doing? Trying to get herself killed obviously.
I know Smoke told her that we are into some not-so-good shit. He told her to mind her business and keep anything she overhears to herself. He even had her sign an NDA for Christ’s sake.
What was she thinking?
“Go,” I mouth to her, turning my attention back to the conversation at hand.
At least I’m trying to.
My eyes dart back and find her gone. There is no relief, though. I hope to God she heeds my warning and leaves before these guys do.
When the Crossbones guys showed up, I was angry. They were supposed to come after hours when the shop was closed. Smoke specifically told them not to interrupt our garage while it’s open to customers.
They didn’t listen. If it were me, I would have told them to pound sand, but I don’t make those decisions. Smoke does.
I shot him a text as I told Sloane to get her shit and go. Knowing that the men had already eyed her when they arrived, I knew she needed to go as quickly as possible. I should have watched her drive away, but I wanted to get them inside and out of her view.
Then little miss decides to sneak around and eavesdrop?
She is going to get a lesson in minding her business.
“What do you think, Gunner?” Smoke asks, drawing my attention back to the conversation at hand.
“I think that we need to discuss this as a club. We don’t take on new business without full club approval.” I glare at Vic, wearing the sergeant at arms badge.
“I agree with my VP. I agreed to this meeting out of respect for your president, but his lack of respect by sending you and not coming himself, along with interfering with my garage during business hours, has me wondering if I want to get into bed with you.”
The man smirks at me but responds to Smoke. “Fair enough. We will let you discuss it.”
He turns and moves toward the door with his men. I am right behind him watching them leave. Bear stands at my other side.
“That was a sweet thing you had working here. Is she up for trade? She would make a real good whore with pouty lips like that,” Vic drawls.
My fists clench at his words. “Keep your mouth shut and keep moving.”
That only makes Vic laugh. “Oh, someone has a crush.”
Before the words leave his mouth, my fist meets his face.
“You don’t fuck with what’s ours. If you want a business relationship, I suggest you get a lot better at being diplomatic, asswipe. Get on your bikes and go.”
He smiles at me, wiping the blood from his mouth. “Nice meeting you, Gunner. Can’t wait to meet you again.”
Yeah, fuck this deal. Smoke better not be considering it.
I watch as they leave, not moving until Smoke calls to me.
“Church.”
I turn, heading to the clubhouse. I nod at the prospect, finishing up the last cars. He nods back, letting me know he has it.
“What was that about?” Smoke asks me as we walk side by side.
“I might not like Sloane, but as long as she works here, she is our employee, which makes her under our protection,” I tell Smoke.
He chuckles. “What do you think she would do if she saw you punch that guy in her honor?”
I smirk at that. “Tell me that she can fight her own battles, then break a knuckle trying to do it.”
He shakes his head. “That would be a sight to see.”
After several moments of walking in silence, I speak up. “You shouldn’t have hired her. This isn’t safe for her.”
“I know,” he says solemnly. “She needed it, though. All I could see was Kelly trying to make her own way in the world and being pushed down. She’s ours now, so we protect her. Think you can do that?”
I sigh, already knowing I will.
“I’ll do it, but we can’t accept this deal. They aren’t good people. They will bring death to our door. Transporting coke is nothing, but the amount they want is asking for unwanted attention.” I hold open the door to the clubhouse for him.
He stops and looks at me. “This is why you are my VP. You already know what I’m thinking before I say it. Now let’s go let the others vote on it.”
I follow him inside, walking past brothers as they do their own thing. Then we walk into church, all the members at the table waiting for us.
I drop my cell phone in the basket outside the door, then close it behind me.
Moving past everyone, I take my seat to Smoke’s left.
“What do you guys think? I open the floor to discussion,” he starts.
“Assholes. I don’t like how they looked at the girl,” Bear, the sergeant at arms, grunts.
“The girl has a name.” Crow, our secretary, narrows his eyes at Bear.
“If she ain’t an old lady, I don’t care,” Bear tells him.
“Well, I can see the monetary value, I’m not sure the risk is worth it.” Taz speaks up.
He’s our treasurer, so it makes sense. He would look at the money first.
Preacher, our resident chaplain, clears his throat. “I do not believe these men align with our morals. I feel it would be a poor decision.”
“Tank, you’re our enforcer. What do you think? Your instincts are good,” Smoke asks.
Tank cracks his knuckles as he considers his response. Finally, he looks right at me. “If you hadn’t punched him, I would have. When you went to send Sloane away, they said some vulgar and disrespectful shit. Add that to them showing up early, and they are out for me.”
“I agree,” Mac, the road captain, adds. “Besides that, the route they mentioned would be dangerous and risky as hell. It’s not worth it.”
“All right. Let’s do a formal vote. All for it?” Smoke asks. The room is silent. “All against?”
Every single one of my brothers says, “Nay.”
“The nays have it. Meeting adjourned.”
Even though we are turning them down, I have a feeling this isn’t the end of it. Far from it.
I only hope they forget they ever laid eyes on Sloane.